Reibert Week 2013
by I am Number 5
Summary: Behold seven days of oneshots featuring the Big Dumb Bear and the Sweaty Giraffe being gay together. Contains spoilers!
1. Empty Wind (1: Bert's B-Day)

**Summary:** "Y-yeah…yeah, he forgot." Simply saying it made Bertholdt feel as if his ribs were tightening in his chest, closing in on his fragile, breaking heart, because Reiner had forgotten the one thing he had always vowed to never forget.

**Warnings:** Manga spoilers and the Sweaty Birthday Prince being sad

**Characters:** Bertholdt, Annie, 104th trainees

**Word Count:** ~1,109

**Notes:** Welp, I'm doing Reibert Week. This is also dedicated to my special birthday boy! Happy birthday Bertholdt!

* * *

_You ripped me off, your love was cheap  
__Was always tearing at the seams  
__I fell deep, you let me down  
__But that was then and this is now  
__Now look at me_

_~Part of Me - Katy Perry_

* * *

Back in their hometown, Bertholdt's family couldn't afford to celebrate birthdays with presents and treats. Food was scarce, and though his family insisted on saving up to buy him a present, Bertholdt would always decline their offer. His family's well-being meant more to him.

Reiner, though he never had the money to get him a gift, would always make sure to spend time with Bertholdt, making sure that Bertholdt would know that he it was his special day and that it would be all about him. Annie would sometimes join them as well, but not as often.

Even with being assigned the mission to destroy humanity, taking down Wall Maria, pretending to be refugees, and the first year in the military, Reiner never forgot his special day.

That was until Reiner began to lose himself, however.

On December 30th, in their final year of training, Bertholdt woke up to notice that the bed next to his was cold. Empty. It was late December, meaning that the barracks were especially cold at night and in the morning. Bertholdt could see his own breaths in front of his face. He had woken up on his side, a normal position (minus the fact that his feet were on his pillow and his head at the foot of the bed.) The rest of the boys in the barracks were in the process of getting ready for a long day of training; Eren and Jean making constipated faces at each other, Reiner using his shirt to whip Connie in the legs as Marco watched and laughed.

Bertholdt sat up and stretched, working the kinks out of his spine and neck, before climbing out of the bunk and searching for his uniform. Some of the trainees smiled at him, greeted him, and he smiled back shyly. That was the most acknowledgement he received that morning.

Training had been slow that day; the air was cold, frost covered the ground, and the 3D Maneuver Gear was stiff and slightly slow due to the cold. Thomas Wagner's gear ended up getting stuck, causing him to get tangled in the wires and hang suspended in the air, upside down. The same happened to several other trainees, including Armin and Ymir (though she would vehemently deny it), but Instructor Shadis didn't even blink, only helped untangle the trainees and send them back into the fray.

Bertholdt stayed silent the entire day. He entertained the idea that he looked a bit like Annie, stoic and indifferent. The thought almost made him chuckle.

That night, Connie managed to swipe four large bottles of the finest Trost Whiskey from Shadis' cellar and was kind enough to share it with other boys. Bertholdt, never one for alcohol, left to sit on the porch whilst the boys promptly drank themselves into oblivion, his blanket draped around his shoulders. The porch was abandoned, much to his delight.

He didn't know how long he sat there until Annie came out.

"Happy birthday."

Bertholdt jumped and looked up questioningly at the petite girl. She watched him with that familiar cool, calculating gaze before sitting down next to him.

"Thanks," he replied, averting his gaze from hers. He could still feel her eyes on him though.

"He forgot, didn't he? Reiner, I mean." Bertholdt winced at her bluntness. Annie was never one to beat around the bush.

"Y-yeah…yeah, he forgot." Simply saying it made Bertholdt feel as if his ribs were tightening in his chest, closing in on his fragile, breaking heart.

"Odd. He never forgot your birthday."

"He's…he's losing himself, Annie. He isn't a warrior anymore. He doesn't remember the real reason he's here." Bertholdt's throat tightened as tears threatened to escape.

"He was always your rock," Annie stated. "He always made sure he was there for you, to make sure you had someone to lean on when you needed it. And now he's forgotten everything, and it's tearing you apart."

Bertholdt cringed; how was it that Annie always managed to hit the nail right on the head? He must be pretty obvious, he supposed. He never was good at hiding his emotions around her.

Or maybe it was because Annie wasn't stupid. She knows him better than he thinks. She watched him from the ground with Reiner as he destroyed the Shiganshina gate, pulled him out of his titan's body, and watched as Reiner held him tightly, while Bertholdt sobbed wetly into the other boy's shirt. Bearing the weight of being mankind's greatest enemy had taken a severe toll on Bertholdt, who was and is fragile and weak-willed. Annie knew this for a fact.

"You know, Reiner thought that I had a crush on you," Bertholdt shifted sideways to look at her. "I told him that I didn't, because I had feelings for him. He said he had feelings for me too. He promised that when we get home, he was going to marry me so you couldn't take me away from him."

The corners of her lips twitched the tiniest bit, prompting him to continue.

"That was on my birthday last year. He told me he loved me but…all of a sudden he was distant. Hanging out with Krista…he told me he thought she was a goddess. That he was going to marry her."

"And how does that make you feel?"

Bertholdt bit his lip, delving deep into his inner emotions. "Angry. Sad, and heartbroken, and really, really, angry. I feel like I've been ripped off. If he loved me, then it must have been cheap. It feels like I've been chewed up and spit out. I've never felt so…worthless. And it makes me so _mad_!"

Annie nodded to herself, seemingly in understanding. "You can't forget about the mission, okay? We'll have to try to get Reiner to snap out of it or…you'll have to break the walls yourself after graduation. The village elders made sure we knew this."

Bertholdt nodded shakily, not wanting to believe that Reiner could be gone for good. His best friend, the love of his life, he could be gone forever.

Annie stood up and placed a tiny hand on Bertholdt's larger shoulder. "Happy birthday, Bertholdt."

Bertholdt couldn't bring himself to smile at her, so he kept his gaze locked on the frosty ground. "Thanks, Annie. Goodnight."

He waited until the door to the girls' barracks opened and closed again before he curled into a ball, his legs pulled to his chest, arms wrapped around his shins, face pressed into his knees. His shoulders began to shake as he shuddered violently, whilst tears spilled endlessly from his eyes.

"_You're spineless."_

"_Reiner is gone."_

"_Reiner doesn't love you."_

"_You're all alone."_


	2. This is the New Year (2: New Years)

**Summary:** After all, Reiner promised his parents that they would see him propose to his boyfriend. Even if they lived all the way in Idaho.

**Warnings:** buff cuties getting engaged

**Characters:** Bertholdt, Reiner

**Word Count:** ~564

**Notes:** It's really short, but this was all I could manage today. Happy New Year everybody, and please be safe!

* * *

_Speak louder than the words before you  
__And give them meaning no one else has found  
__The role we play is so important  
__We are the voices of the underground  
__And I will give the world to you_

_~This is the New Year - A Great Big World_

* * *

Bertholdt smiled when Reiner wrapped a muscular arm around his waist, pulling him closer to share warmth. New York was cold at this time of year, and with midnight fast approaching, Reiner probably wanted to start the New Year holding him, like he always did.

Though they've been living in the big city for two years now, Bertholdt still wasn't used to the large crowds of people. Then again, when was he used to large crowds of people? Merely going to school would be too awkward for him.

It must have been because he towered over everybody else.

"Bert," Reiner nudged him with his hip. "Fifteen seconds!"

Bertholdt smiled at him and joined the crowd in counting down. Ten, nine, eight, seven six, five, four-

Reiner took his chin and turned his face to his, and just as they reached one, leaned up to kiss him. Bertholdt hummed appreciatively and kissed back, the cheering crowds disappearing so all that he could think of was Reiner, his best friend, the love of his life.

The two pulled away after a few moments, smiling shyly at each other.

"I need to go do something," Reiner said, pecking the taller man's cheek. "I'll be right back, okay? Save my spot!"

As Reiner squeezed through the crowd and disappeared, Bertholdt watched his go curiously. What could Reiner possibly need to do in this place at this time? When the blond man returned, he had a satisfied smile on his face.

"Why are you smiling like that? What did you do?" Bertholdt asked in suspicion.

"You'll see," Was the only answer he received as Reiner placed his arms on the railing and looked down the walkway made for camera crews.

Moments later, a camera crew was approaching them. Bertholdt could feel himself beginning to panic and sweat nervously. His hands were clammy, even in the cold.

The cameras were fixed on the two of them, and Bertholdt was confused beyond belief.

Reiner turned to him, shoulders tense. "Bertholdt."

Bertholdt looked at him. "Yeah?"

The blond man took his hands. "We've been best friends since we were in diapers. We've been inseparable ever since. Even though we almost drifted apart completely in high school, we held on to each other tight, and we never let go. And when we started dating, I knew that…what we had was special; and that's why it never felt like I was getting to know you, it's always felt like…like I was remembering you from something. Like we knew and loved each other in a different life. I never, ever want to be apart from you. I love you more than everything."

Reiner fumbled with something in the pocket of his jacket as he knelt down on one knee, and the action made realization evident on Bertholdt's face. When his boyfriend pulled out a velvet box and opened it to reveal a silver ring with a line of small diamonds embedded in it, the taller man pressed a hand against his mouth.

"So, after being together since high school, I only wanted to ask you one thing. Bertholdt Fubar, my amazing friend, and my one true love…will you marry me?"

Bertholdt barely registered the crowd watching them intently, too occupied with the wonderful, beautiful man that was kneeling at his feet. A gush of air escaped him as he nodded vigorously.

"Of course I will."


	3. Where I Belong (3: Homesickness)

**Summary:** After a long day of training, the soldiers-in-training of the 104th Trainee Squad would gather in the baracks and converse.

**Warnings:** Sweaty Prince being sad

**Characters:** Bertholdt Fubar, Reiner Braun, 10rth Trainees

**Word Count:** ~1,031

**Notes:** Whoopsie, I angsted again. This is short, but whatevah, whatevah, I do what I want. This is for day 3 of Reibert Week, so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

After a long day of training, the soldiers-in-training of the 104th Trainee Squad would gather in the barracks and converse. Bertholdt never joined these conversations, but elected to let Reiner speak for him. The blond was much better at making conversation and making friends than Bertholdt ever was.

It was simply a fact that Reiner was outgoing and friendly and brotherly, while Bertholdt was shy and reserved and painfully anti-social. Introversion had always been a problem for him.

However, there was one particular night when the trainees gathered that Bertholdt came out of his shell.

It had been Marco's idea to talk about their families. Bertholdt was sitting next to Reiner, muscles tense and eyes casted downwards. He couldn't look at any of them knowing that he was or was going to be the reason that they and their families would be dead. He bit at a hangnail near his right thumb when Eren told his story, about how his mother had been eaten by a titan, how Mikasa was his only family left since he had no clue what had happened to his father. He picked at his cuticles as Armin explained how his parents had died protecting humanity, and his grandfather had died when the Wall Maria refugees had been forced to try to retake their territory. He dug his nails into his palms they all sympathized with them and vowed that they would take down the titans once and for all, especially the Colossal Titan.

He did calm down considerably when Marco talked about his three younger sisters and two younger brothers, and Connie's loving mother and father. By the time they turned to Reiner, he had relaxed completely.

Reiner chuckled and crossed his legs. "This is gonna be a doozy. Okay, so my mom and dad have been together for about eighteen years, and they're still completely in love with each other. I'm the oldest of ten kids; six little sisters and three little brothers. They would follow me like lost puppies, I swear, I never have a moment alone when I'm at home. Not that I can really complain, I love them all dearly. They're a handful, but I really wouldn't change any of it. They all made it out alive when the titans invaded, thankfully. They're all living in a small village near Trost, healthy and happy."

They all smiled at him, happy that his giant family survived. Out of the corner of his eye, Bertholdt could see Reiner's hand feeling his pocket; the pocket where he kept the most recently taken photo of the Braun family. He could tell that Reiner was desperately missing his family at this moment.

Bertholdt let his gaze travel back to his lap where he lay his clasped hands. Thinking of Reiner's family made him think of home, and thinking of home made him think of his family.

"-tholdt? _Bertholdt_!"

The tall boy jumped and looked to lock eyes with Jean, who, along with everybody else, were watching him expectantly.

"S-sorry, I spaced out a bit. What is it?" Bertholdt scratched his neck in embarrassment, hoping the flush rising in his cheeks wouldn't be too prominent.

"We were wondering if you wanted to tell us about your family." Jean stated.

"Um..."

"Uh, guys, Bert's got a really complicated homelife, would it be okay if he passed?" Reiner, being the angel that he is, immediately jumped to his defence.

"No, no, it's fine," Bertholdt stated, trying to feign confidence. "I guess I can tell you guys about my family."

He still didn't meet any of their curious gazes. Eye-contact of any kind made him so uncomfortable that he could just shrivel up and die inside.

"M-my father died when I was younger, when I was ten. One of the old, abandoned barns had caught on fire while there were children playing inside. He burned to death saving those three kids' lives." He picked at a loose thread in his pants absentmindedly. "He had been a farmer making decent money and my mother had been unemployed. And with my father gone and my mother without a job, we didn't have any way to earn money. My family was already dirt poor as it was, but it only got worse from there. My mother fell into a depression after my dad passed; she never did anything, never moved, never said anything, never slept a wink...all she did was stare at absolutely nothing. No matter how many times I begged and screamed in her face, she never heard. Never said anything. The only other family that I had was my little sister Melody.

"Melody is fragile. Very gentle. She starts to cry at the sight of just a single speck of blood. Melody is...probably the kindest, most forgiving person in the world. She's everything to me. I joined the military to protect her."

Bertholdt sighed and shifted where he sat. "We had just gotten back on our feet when the titans showed up. My mom was finally starting to respond to us again, she was eating, I was learning how to hunt...but the titans ruined everything. They both made it out okay, and they're living with Reiner's family right now. So...yeah. That's my story, I guess."

The tall boy feigned a yawn. "So, uh, it's getting late, so I think I'm gonna...get to bed. Yeah. Goodnight!"

He didn't meet anyone's eyes throughout this entire exchange.

* * *

When Reiner climbed into their shared bunk, he found Bertholdt laying on his back, clutching a round silver pendant to his heart. Hot tears were streaming down tan cheeks, whilst pearly white teeth bit into his bottom lip to fight back his sobs.

The blond felt his expression soften. "Bert..."

Said boy turned to look at him, sorrow-filled eyes brimming with tears. The bulky boy crowded closer to the crying boy and lay on his side, snaking both arms around Bertholdt's waist to tug him close and press his face to his chest. He didn't care that there were tears soaking his shirt. He needed release too, just like everybody else.

Gingerly brushing Bertholdt's bangs from his eyes, Reiner leaned down to kiss the fresh tears away.

"You're not allowed to be sad," Reiner scolded, which earned him a half-chuckle-half-sob.

"I just miss them," Bertholdt mumbled miserably. "I miss home."

Reiner nodded in agreement. "Me too, Bert. Me too."

The blond slowly plucked the pendant out of Bertholdt's hands and opened the locket to peer at the old picture inside. Two girls and one boy, standing side by side, all smiling brightly. They all looked so much alike, Reiner mused, as he scanned the shared features in the faces of his lover's mother and sister. Same dark hair, tan skin, green eyes, long nose. The only thing not inherited was the height. Bertholdt's mom was tiny, just about the same height at Connie or Armin, and Melody was a tiny thing, tinier than Reiner thought possible for a ten year old.

The blond let his eyes wander over every detail of the picture; Mrs. Fubar's hands on the shoulders of both her children, the way Bertholdt was crouching down slightly so his head would fit in the picture, the delicate ribbons holding Melody's two braids together. He'd seen this picture so many times, but it always felt as if he was seeing it for the first time whenever he looked at it. There always seemed to be something new that he hadn't seen before.

Reiner felt a twist in his gut that he realized was homesickness. Sighing, he pressed his lips gently against Bertholdt's pulse point, glad that the boy had finally calmed down considerably.

"One day, soon, we'll be back there. With them. And we'll never, ever leave again. Right?"

Bertholdt gave him a weak, watery smile. "Definitely."


	4. Sorrows of Tomorrow (4: Loyalty)

**Summary:** "Damn it Reiner," Bertholdt muttered into the blond's ear. "Why do you always have to be the hero?"

**Warnings:** Blood, violence

**Characters:** Bertholdt Fubar, Reiner Braun, Ymir, Louise Fubar (OC), Melody Fubar (OC), the Braun family (OC)

**Word Count:** ~1,675

**Notes:** This is based off a dream that I had a couple nights ago, so please forgive the weirdness of it. The dream was pretty much like Catching Fire, with different characters, so I guess this is based off the scene in Catching Fire where Gale is whipped. There's also a bunch of OCs in this one, mostly Bertholdt and Reiner's families.

* * *

_I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, "I'll never let you go"  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_~Safe and Sound – Taylor Swift_

* * *

Their home looked the same as it had the last time they'd been there. Same old, rickety houses, same people, same kind yet malnourished faces. It was snowing too, making the town look much prettier than it did in the fall when it rained.

Bertholdt, Reiner, and Ymir had approached the village from the seemingly endless forest behind it, crawled under the old fence, and into Bertholdt's backyard. The house, though in poor condition, still looked to be in working condition. Bertholdt had to resist the urge to burst into the house and tackle hug his mother and sister, and instead knocked on the door.

His sister answered the door. She had grown, she was thirteen now, and she was a splitting image of her mother; her hair still in that same French braid. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears and she screamed for her mother as she threw herself into her big brother's arms. Bertholdt, in a fit of joy, even lifted the tiny girl off the floor and hugged her around the waist. Their mother came running and also threw herself at her son to hug him fiercely. Melody had sobbed wetly and told him how much she'd missed him. His mother, in a fit of worry, scanned his body for injuries, held his face in her hands to make sure he was truly there.

Once Bertholdt had released the two, Melody immediately noticed Reiner and made a beeline for him, squealing in delight. Reiner grinned and hugged her before setting her on one shoulder, just like he always did when they were younger.

With Reiner's family, it was much more of a ruckus. His mother, still beautiful and young, pressed over a million kisses to her son's face. His father, still bulky with a large beard, held him tightly and patted his back. His younger siblings – six sisters and three brothers – all tackled him to the floor and swarmed him, hugging him and kissing him and expressing their unadulterated joy over seeing their biggest brother again.

And, like with Bertholdt's family, once they released Reiner, the whole family swarmed to Bertholdt, who greeted them with a big smile and hugged each of them.

That had been over a week ago.

Their parents all gathered to hear their story. Reiner and Bertholdt explained their situation, how Annie had been captured, how their identities had been discovered, how they had tried to kidnap Eren, and finally how Ymir volunteered to accompany them to their village. By the end of the story, the adults looked worried beyond belief. They discussed how they would break the news to Annie's father, how they would go about breaking the news of their failure to the _higher ups_…

The higher ups were an organization from a few villages over called the Mortiferis*. It was a government organization that ruled their village, and several other villages. The Mortiferis were the ones who assigned Bertholdt, Reiner, Annie and Berik the mission to destroy humanity, under the threat of their village and several others being destroyed. The Mortiferis periodically sent their soldiers into villages every other week for the purpose of raiding houses and burning things, sometimes killing civilians. Anyone who tries to protest is either shot or whipped in public.

A week later, a chorus of screams roused Bertholdt from his game of cards with Ymir, who had been taking up residence in his home and posing as his cousin from a neighboring village. A crash, the sound of something being thrown to the ground, was a much too familiar sound to him.

"Oh no…" He muttered, jumping up from his seat and running to the door. Ymir followed him, looking confused.

The moment he burst through his front door, he locked eyes with Reiner from across the street. The two nodded and bolted down the path, Ymir following close behind.

The town was in chaos, confirming that the Mortiferis had definitely sent a group of men to destroy the town. A building had been set on fire, people were being shoved to the ground and kicked, and houses were being trashed. People were running in all directions, screaming, and suddenly Bertholdt was back at the Shiganshina gate, towering above the wall and staring down at the tiny people below who were running for their lives.

He was so preoccupied he didn't notice Reiner running off in another direction, tackling a man who was flogging an elderly woman, and being dragged off by a few others. He was brought to attention again when a hand began to pat his cheek.

"Bertholdt!"

The taller boy snapped to attention and locked gazes with Ymir, who was glaring at him.

"Look, I know this is freaking you out and shit, but Reiner just got dragged off somewhere by a bunch of those guys!"

Bertholdt gasped and whipped around to face the direction of the town square before he took off, ignoring Ymir's shout of indignation and demand to wait for her. As he drew closer, he could hear faint sounds of someone yelping, in what he realized was pain. It was definitely Reiner. Reiner was in pain. That revelation made Bertholdt will his legs to carry him faster.

When he reached the square, he saw it; Reiner, tied to a wooden pole, with angry, bleeding rashes all across his back. A man, clearly the leader, was whipping him relentlessly with a malicious glint in his eye. Reiner had his left cheek pressed against the pole, his face scrunched up in agony as the whip once again made contact with his bloodied back.

Rage. All Bertholdt could feel was pure, unadulterated _rage_.

Without a second thought, Bertholdt charged at the man and shoved him away to stand in front of his best friend protectively. The man snarled at him.

"Move away punk!"

The taller boy shook his head no. The man grit his teeth and flicked his wrist, sending the whip lashing out towards his face. He staggered backwards, feeling blood trickling down his cheek. That was when Ymir stepped in.

"Hey, hey, hey, back off, would ya? You really shouldn't be doing that to these two." She said confidently.

The man looked like he was ready to lash out at them again, but was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder.

Annie's father.

"Excuse me," He said matter-of-factly. "Do you have any idea who you are attacking? Do you?"

The man shook his head with furrowed brows.

"That," He pointed to Bertholdt. "Is the Colossal Titan. And that," He pointed to Reiner. "Is the Armoured Titan. These two were sent on an important mission by your boss, do you recall? These two came back here to give the yearly update on the status of their mission. Do you really think it is smart to be whipping the most important people in this village? Hmm?"

The man grit his teeth together and sighed. "Fine. Release him."

Bertholdt and Ymir whipped around and began to untie the ropes that bound Reiner to the pole. The blond was whimpering from the pain, and was barely able to stand on his own. The two looped his arms around their shoulders and supported him all the way to the Fubar household.

Once they reached his house, Bertholdt realized that Reiner's regenerative powers weren't working because of the overuse of his shifting.

Getting Reiner to sit still while Melody and Mrs. Fubar worked on his wounds had been a task. They lay him on his chest on the kitchen table, and while the two bustled around the kitchen looking for the proper remedies and bandages, Bertholdt kneeled on the floor where his lover's head was and brought his face in closer to the other's, whispering sweet nothings to him and periodically kissing his forehead.

But once his mother began pouring whiskey over the wounds, Reiner's face scrunched up and he began to groan and shout and struggle. Bertholdt did his best to restrain him, but it wasn't enough. He needed stitches and he wouldn't be able to get them if he was struggling. That was when Melody inserted a needle into Reiner's skin, which effectively put the boy to sleep.

* * *

That night, Reiner still lay on the table, and Bertholdt sat in a chair in front of him, holding his hand while he tenderly stroked his hair. His mother and sister had gone to bed, and Reiner's parents had left about an hour before.

"Damn it Reiner," Bertholdt muttered into the blond's ear. "Why do you always have to be the hero?"

Reiner smiled weakly at him. "That's just how I am Bert. You know that."

Bertholdt sighed. "Yeah, I know that quite well."

"You didn't have to protect me like that," Reiner grunted. "You could have gotten hurt."

"Reiner," the taller boy leaned forward to press a light kiss to the blond's forehead. "I'll always protect you. I'll always stand by you, even if I know you're wrong. I have no will of my own, but…you give me so much strength. Whenever I'm in a state of weakness, you're there for me. It was only right for me to do the same, right?"

Reiner reached out with his free hand to cup Bertholdt's jaw. "You're too sweet."

"Hmm, you love it."

"Yeah. Love you more."

"Love you too."

Reiner comically puckered his lips. "Kiss?"

Bertholdt snorted, but leaned forward and kissed the other, humming appreciatively when Reiner deepened the kiss by holding the back of his head. When they pulled away, Bertholdt checked the stitches underneath the folded towel.

"Do you want me to get more snow for your back?" He asked.

The other shook his head. "No. Just…stay. Please."

His expression softened. Scooting the chair forward, he rested his arms on the table on either side of his lover's head, cupped the back of Reiner's neck, then rested his own head on his forearm. Reiner's own head lifted up to rest on his shoulder.

"I'll always stay with you. Whenever you need me, I'll be here."

* * *

_*Mortiferis: Translates from Latin to "the Destroyers"_


	5. I'll Cover You (5: WeatherSleep)

**Summary:** There was a deal going on between Jean and Eren; if the trainees woke up to find Bertholdt curled around or on Reiner, Jean would have to ask them if they were dating.

**Warnings:** Jean and Eren being feuding four year olds

**Characters:** Eren Jaeger, Jean Kirschtein, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Fubar, Armin Arlert, Marco Bodt

**Word Count:** ~975

**Notes:** This is a bit late, sorry! Currently working on day 6, so that will be posted later today.

* * *

_Through the hourglass I saw you  
In time you slipped away  
When the mirror crashed I called you  
And turned to hear you say  
If only for today  
I am unafraid_

_~Take My Breath Away - Berlin_

* * *

The fact that Jean even _agreed_ to this deal with Eren would make his mother clip him over the head. He was raised to set an example, after all. But his mother wasn't here to tell him not to, so of course he agreed to it.

It had all started with an admittedly petty fight that Eren and Jean had gotten into, over something that Jean couldn't even remember at this point. Frankly, he didn't care anymore. All that mattered was that his pride and ego had gone to his head and now he had to ask Reiner and Bertholdt if they were dating if Bertholdt was curled around Reiner in the morning 100 times. And Jean was royally screwed because so far Bertholdt had been in that position _99_ times since the deal was made.

Jean was more than willing to admit that he admired Reiner; he was a strong, capable soldier, very trustworthy, like a big brother figure. They could always count on Reiner to defend them and help them out when they needed. He never passed up an opportunity to help. Unfortunately, Jean couldn't really say the same for Bertholdt, because he didn't really know anything about him. Bertholdt was not a social butterfly; he preferred to keep to himself, possibly to avoid getting too attached to people that he might lose. The only person he was truly attached to was Reiner, as they had been best friends since they were children. Jean was sure that Bertholdt was also someone worth admiring though.

Even so, Jean was truly dreading the day he would have to ask that stupid question. Though he was quite curious, he didn't want to sound rude or disrespectful to them. He wanted to be in their good books, not only because they were both huge and probably high up in the top ten list, but also because he didn't want to embarrass them.

But alas, two weeks after the 99th time, Bertholdt was curled up against Reiner.

"Looks like it's gonna be sunny today," Connie commented.

Jean immediately dropped his nightshirt on his bed and approached the bunk shared by the two largest trainees. Sure enough, Bertholdt was cuddling into Reiner.

It seemed to intimate; Bertholdt's head resting on the blond's stomach, right hand clenching the fabric of Reiner's nightshirt, while the other boy's hand was resting on the back of the taller boy's head. They both looked so…peaceful. It was almost _cute_ how they fit so perfectly together.

But of course, Eren had to burst his bubble by laughing and mockingly patting his shoulder. "That's a hundred! Ready to ask the big question?"

"D-don't you think it's an invasion of privacy to make him ask something like that?" Armin inquired. "Maybe they are dating but they aren't ready to tell people. It isn't fair to put them on the spot like that."

"Well, if they aren't ready to tell people, they can just say no, right?" Eren shrugged. "It's ultimately their choice whether to tell us or not."

Jean sighed; this was not how he planned to die. Whether it be from being beaten up or from embarrassment, it was humiliating.

So he went back to his bed and began to get dressed for training. Marco looked at him with a barely disguised look of mirth.

"You okay there Jean?" He asked, biting his lip to stifle a laugh.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, except for the fact that I might get beaten up for asking a really invasive question or die from embarrassment in trying."

Marco shook his head. "They won't beat you up Jean. Reiner likes you, considers you a friend. And Bertholdt is sweet, almost like a baby bird. He doesn't like to hurt people unless he'd been seriously provoked."

Jean looked at him incredulously. "How do you know that? About Bertholdt, I mean."

"We talk sometimes," Marco replied, slipping his jacket on. "He's very anxious, it's why he doesn't like to talk to many people."

Connie nudged Jean in the ribs. "Hey, Reiner and Bertholdt are up."

"Damnit," Jean groaned. "_Why_ did I agree to this?"

Running a hand through his two-toned hair, he turned on his heel and awkwardly approached the two boys who were in the process of getting dressed.

"Uh, hey, Reiner?"

The blond turned to him with a friendly smile. "Hey Jean, what's up?"

"Uh, I wanted to ask you something…" Jean rubbed the back of his neck; he could see Eren watching in anticipation out of the corner of his eye. "I, um, you totally don't have to answer this, but are you and Bertholdt…um…together? Dating? That stuff?"

Bertholdt, who had just finished putting his boots on, had obviously heard to question as his head whipped around to look at them, his cheeks flushed with a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. His green eyes were as wide as dinner plates. Jean couldn't tell if they were wide out of fear or embarrassment.

Reiner's face remained blank for a moment, before a grin split across his face and he laughed.

"Well _duh_," He said, as if it were obvious. "Who wouldn't date this guy? He's a _babe_!" And with that, he threw an arm around Bertholdt's shoulders and brought the taller boy to his broad chest. The boys around them were laughing hysterically at the exuberance of the gesture, then turned back to getting dressed.

Jean, feeling triumphant, turned to Eren and stuck his tongue out at him childishly. Eren returned to gesture wholeheartedly.

Bertholdt's face was trapped in a blushing puddle of sweat for the rest of the day.


	6. Somebody Who Loves Me (6: Evening Wear)

**Summary:** Bertholdt wasn't going to prom. What's the use of going when the love of your life already asked someone else? No, he was not putting himself through that.

**Warnings:** Ships. Ships everywhere. (Reibert, Yumikuri, Jeanmarco, Mikannie, Eremin, Springles)

**Characters:** Bertholdt Fubar, Reiner Braun, Annie Leonhardt, Krista Lenz, Ymir,

**Word Count:** ~1,205

**Notes:** Oh my god, I've always wanted to do a prom au for these two.

* * *

_You're a teaser, you turn 'em on__  
__Leave them burning and then you're gone__  
__Looking out for another, anyone will do__  
__You're in the mood for a dance__  
__And when you get the chance..._

_~Dancing Queen – ABBA_

* * *

Bertholdt was used to being invisible. There were a few times when he was convinced to go to dances middle school, but those had been useless. He had only succeeded in blending into the background, a true wallflower. Senior prom was no different from the other dances, except he wasn't going this time.

It wasn't only his tendency to disappear that was off-putting about the dance; it was also the fact that if he went, he would be alone. If things had gone a bit differently, maybe he wouldn't have been.

Bertholdt had been mustering up the courage to ask his best friend Reiner to prom. He had been preparing for it for a week, memorized what he was going to say, and even took a shower right before he went to his house to prevent himself from smelling too much like sweat. He had been finally ready to ask, when Reiner broke the news to him; he had asked Krista Lenz to be his prom date. Never before had Bertholdt felt so…crushed.

Reiner had tried to get Bertholdt to go to prom, but he'd insisted on staying home. If he had gone, it only would have hurt him more, seeing the love of his life with another person, a _girl_. He hadn't been worried about Reiner asking Krista because he had thought she was with Ymir…

But, nevertheless, here he was, sitting in his room with a Biology textbook open in his lap, trying to study for finals. It wasn't really working out for him, and the fact that that school was across the street from his house was certainly not helping. He could hear the pounding of the music from the gymnasium from his room.

Releasing a sigh of longing, Bertholdt closed the book and tossed it away to the end of his bed. What was wrong with him? He didn't even want to go to prom, not unless he would be with Reiner. So why was he feeling this way?

He couldn't even answer his own question when he heard the sound of high heels approaching his bedroom. At first he thought it was his mother, but that thought was tossed out the window when Annie Leonhardt appeared in his door. She looked beautiful, dressed in a floor length, sleeveless red dress. The gown fit her perfectly, and it even made her look a little taller (he had a feeling that might have been the reason she chose it). Her hair was tied in an elegant bun and she was even wearing makeup. He barely recognized her.

"Get up," She said, hitting his shoulder. "We've got to go."

"What?" Bertholdt rolled off the bed in surprise. "Where are we going?"

"Prom."

Her bluntness never ceased to amaze him. "Annie, I'm not going to prom. The only thing that will happen is I'll get there, I'll wander off to the side, and stay there for the entire time. I'm not putting myself through that."

"Don't care, this time it will be different." Annie went into his bathroom for reasons that were beyond him. Just then, the door burst open again.

"Hey!" Jean exclaimed, dressed in a black tuxedo, holding out a bundle wrapped in plastic. "I've got the tux!"

"Good," Annie replied, poking her head out of the bathroom. "Make sure you get it on him without ripping it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Wait, what?" Bertholdt's eyes bugged as Marco, Eren, Armin, and Connie all filed into the room with determined expressions. "What are you – GAH!"

With great easy, the five boys wrestled Bertholdt out of his t-shirt and jeans and into a navy blue tuxedo. How they managed it was beyond his comprehension.

Annie emerged from the bathroom once he was dressed, holding a container of hair gel and a bottle of cologne. She spritzed a tiny bit on both sides of his neck, then squeezed a small dollop of gel on her hand and rubbed both together, before getting to work on styling his hair. She didn't really change much, but it was much neater now.

"I don't understand," Bertholdt said. "Why are you guys so hell-bent on getting me to go to prom?"

"What, did you really think we were gonna let our buddy stay at home on prom night?" Jean snorted. "Fat chance."

"I won't have any fun…"

"Yes, you will." Annie stated, not leaving any room for argument as she turned Bertholdt around and shoved him out the door.

The rest of his friends were standing in the foyer of his house, all of them dressed nicely. Bertholdt's little sister Melody was talking excitedly to Ymir until she noticed him coming down the stairs.

"Bert, you look so good!" She said, grinning at him. He smiled back at her, albeit weakly.

"I agree, you look great!" Sasha said. Everyone else simultaneously agreed.

Bertholdt flushed bright red. "T-thanks, but what was the point of all this? I mean, the real point."

It was then that he notice Krista standing with, not Reiner, but Ymir. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, and was about to inquire about it, when a flash of blond appeared in the corner of his eye. He turned to the source and found…Reiner. Reiner Braun, dressed in a black and grey tuxedo, standing with a white rose boutonniere in his hands.

"Reiner?" Bertholdt murmured questioningly as their friends all filed out and Melody sprinted up the stairs to fetch Mrs. Fubar.

"Bertholdt," Reiner said, straightening his shoulders. "We've been best friends since we were in diapers, y'know? And there have been so many stories where best friends end up falling in love in the end but…I think I've always loved you. So…will you go to prom with me?"

"Oh my god," Bertholdt placed a hand over her eyes in hopes of stopping himself from crying. "Reiner, I thought you were going with Krista…"

"No, I only said that because I knew you were going to ask me. I have had this planned for weeks, you know, couldn't let you ruin it!"

Bertholdt felt a little confused. "Wait, you planned this?"

"Yeah," Reiner nodded sheepishly. "I knew you've always hated going to dances but Annie said that you wanted to go with me, so I really wanted to surprise you."

The taller of the two snorted. "You're so weird."

"So is that a yes?" The blond asked hopefully.

Bertholdt smiled and nodded. "Yes, of course I will."

Mrs. Fubar emerged from the top of the stairs. "Okay boys, you had to expect that I would want pictures, right?"

The two boys chuckled and nodded.

Once Bertholdt's mother had taken enough pictures, she sent them out the door. Their friends all smiled at the sight of their joined hands.

"Let's go!" Jean shouted, taking Marco's hand. "Prom night, woo!"

The rest of them laughed and joined hands with their respective dates; Eren with Armin, Krista with Ymir, Annie with Mikasa, Sasha with Connie, and Reiner with Bertholdt. The girls wearing long dresses made sure to pick up their skirts before they all ran to cross the street to the school.

As they went, Reiner and Bertholdt smiled at each other, and for once, Bertholdt was excited for a dance.


	7. Silent Rapture (7: Childhood)

**Summary:** Annie wasn't the only one who didn't participate in hand-to-hand combat training.

**Warnings:** Flashbacks, mentions of abuse, childhood trauma, violence, bullying, slight homophobia if you squint

**Characters:** Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Fubar, Annie Leonhardt, Berik, four unnamed characters

**Word Count:** ~2,721

**Notes:** Oh my gosh, it's the last day! I'm so glad that I decided to do this. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! This only briefly touches upon their childhood, unfortunately, but it's the best I could do in the time I was given.

* * *

_I broke your jaw once before  
I spilled your blood upon the floor  
You broke my leg in a return  
So let's sit back and watch the bed burn  
Blood sticks  
Sweat drips  
Break the lock if it don't fit_

_~Kiss with a Fist – Florence and the Machine_

* * *

Bertholdt was thankful that Shadis always paired him up with Annie. That gave the two free reign the slack off as they pleased, and they were damn good at not getting caught. It wasn't that Bertholdt wasn't capable of fighting other people; it was his level of capability that scared him.

When he, Reiner, Annie and Berik were recruited to destroy humanity, they were pushed into training for strategies, back-up plans, what they were to do once they reached the walls, and hand-to-hand combat training. Their parents couldn't do anything to save them.

Bertholdt had excelled in most of it; he was born with a near photographic memory, so memorizing the strategies and back-up plans were a breeze. He would have never, ever been prepared for destroying the walls, none of them were. It was the hand-to-hand combat training that he failed in.

Annie didn't have any problems with it, as her dad had been teaching her since she was young. Reiner was small but strong, capable of flipping a grown man over his head at the mere age of ten. Berik was lean, agile, very good at deflecting and delivering. But Bertholdt was tall and gangly and moved awkwardly with long limbs he had barely grown into. He had been raised in a home where confrontation and risks were not an option. He had always been told that fighting was never the answer. He lived and abided by that concept for all of his childhood, even when he was bullied mercilessly by other boys; he simply let his friends take care of it for him.

But in training, he had been his weakest. He hated fighting, he hated violence, so how was he supposed to learn something he despised?

They didn't give him options though. It was either learn or be killed during the mission. He tried his best, oh he truly did, but that didn't matter to them. If he failed, he would be punished, and they would continue to punish him until he got it right. The abuse, though it made him try harder, only made him fear them more. Until one day…

* * *

"_Stupid boy!"_

_Wack._

"_Can't do anything right!"_

_Wack._

"_You're a failure!"_

_Wack._

"_Hey, how's about we off one of his friends and see how he reacts?" A dark chuckle. "Bet that'll get a reaction out o' him."_

_Young Bertholdt shivered violently from his place on the floor at the sound of a sword being drawn. He cracked his eyes open to look at where his friends stood against the wall. Annie was indifferent, Berik looked terrified, and Reiner looked close to tears. One of their trainers was approaching them with the blade, looking at them with a manic glee flashing in his eyes._

"_Which one should I off? Decisions, decisions…" He pointed the tip at Reiner. "Maybe this one. He looks a bit dim."_

_The blade was suddenly pressed against Reiner's neck, just hard enough to draw a tiny sliver of blood. Reiner whimpered in terror, leaning away as far as he possibly could._

_It was in that moment that something snapped inside of Bertholdt, and suddenly the sword was wrenched away from the man and his legs were kicked so hard out from under him that one of his calves shattered. He landed flat on his back, the sword pointed at the tip of his nose. The man barely saw it, too busy writhing in pain on the floor._

_The young boy breathed heavily, only now becoming aware that _he _had done this. He looked over his shoulder at him friends, who stared back at him with mixed emotions; Berik looking in awe; Annie looking in surprise; Reiner looking in shock._

_A dark chuckle interrupted his thoughts._

"_Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"_

* * *

Everything changed from then on.

That one attack had unleashed a whole new side of himself that Bertholdt feared more than anything. It had been as if the earth's axis had shifted and snapped, flipped the world on its head and turned it inside out. From then on, when he fought, he fought ruthlessly, without abandon. His desire to protect his best friend had unlocked a hidden strength that he didn't even know he possessed. It made him curious, but it also scared him to death. Suddenly he was the best fighter ever trained, the world's most dangerous being. He held better instincts in combat than any other.

Reiner told him once that he didn't even recognize him when he fought – as if he became a completely different person when in combat. Berik told him once that he was glad they were on the same side and wouldn't have to fight him. Annie told him once that his skill scared her, and the ruthless person he became when fighting scared her even more.

The fact that_ Annie_ had thought he was scary had said enough. He was dangerous. His hands were lethal weapons.

He did not skip out on training because he couldn't fight; he skipped out because he was too good at it.

Back home, he hadn't had any problems with beating their trainers up; it felt pretty good to get back at them for their abuse. But here, he was with innocent people, innocent humans, and he didn't want to hurt them. He could kill them with a simple flick of his wrist, as he had been taught to snap necks on training dummies.

Skipping out on hand-to-hand combat training was the only way he could protect them from himself. Annie agreed wholeheartedly, though it must have been because she simply didn't want to fight him. Though he can definitely hold back, he tends to put his all into it, as he had been fighting for his life the last time he fought.

Unfortunately, today was different.

"Hey, Fubar!"

Bertholdt whipped around to face one of his fellow trainees, whose name he hadn't bothered to remember, flanked by three other boys.

"Y-yes?" He replied.

"Skipping out on training again, huh? What's wrong, too weak to fight anyone?" The leader mocked. "That's pathetic."

Bertholdt bit his lip. _'Don't lose control, don't lose control, you're okay, don't do anything that you'll regret later.'_

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, turning away to walk towards Reiner, hoping he could keep him under control.

"Aw, what's wrong? Gonna go cry to your mom?" The group of boys burst into laughter. Bertholdt breathed deeply through his nose, clenching his fists tightly as he continued towards Reiner. He had hoped they would ignore him, but he was quite unfortunate.

"Oh, I see, you're gonna go cry to Braun!"

Reiner turned at the sound of his name being shouted, and locked eyes with Bertholdt. His gaze then shifted to the boys behind him, and his eyebrows furrowed.

The blond crossed his arms. "Is there a problem here?"

Their leader looked a bit surprised, but didn't back down. "Nah man, nothing's wrong! We were just talking to Fubar over here. Nothing else."

"Forgive me, if I call you out on your bullshitting lies," Reiner sneered.

The leader laughed. "Hey, you know, I just noticed that Fubar is an acronym for "Fucked Up Beyond All Reason". I think his name is trying to tell us something!"

As the boys burst out into laughter, more and more heads began turning their way. Soon enough, the entire training yard was watching them.

Throughout this, Bertholdt's heart began pounding against his ribs, because goddamnit I am, aren't I?

He felt a meaty hand on his shoulder, then a thin one on his forearm. He turned his head to look at them, tears prickling his eyes, but they met him with the same expression; anger. They both nodded simultaneously, as if giving him permission to cripple them for life. Bertholdt shook his head no, not wanting to hurt anybody even if these boys deserve it.

"Bert," Reiner whispered. "These guy is a horrible people. They've been harassing all of the girls for a while now, and they won't even listen to the instructors when they won't keep it in their pants. They've been eyeing Krista, Mina, Annie, and Mikasa like they're pieces of meat. If anyone can teach them a lesson, it's you."

"But...but what if I lose control?" Bertholdt replied fearfully. "What if I kill one of them?"

"You won't," Reiner stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, Braun!" The leader addressed them again. "Planning your next fucking session with Fubar? I knew you both liked it up the ass! He must be a really good fuck, huh? Is he tight?"

Bertholdt could see Reiner's eyes darken, could see the gears turning in his head, and he knew he was going to go at them. So before he could take a step, he blocked him with his right arm. He didn't look at him, kept his eyes fixed on the four boys harassing them.

He stepped forward slowly, feeling the gazes of every trainee in the yard fixed upon him. He would have curled into a ball and try to disappear normally, but today was different. Today, he would not lose control, and he would make them pay.

He held his hands up for all to see. "I should let you know beforehand that my hands are considered lethal weapons. If you choose to engage in a fight with me, I cannot be held accountable for any damage that I do. I'd choose wisely, if I were you."

The boys snorted and scoffed. "Alright butt boy, thanks for warning us, but we'll just take the pleasure of kicking your ass."

Bertholdt smiled, but it was so fake that he could see some people shift in discomfort. "Very well then. But you know what? I'm gonna make it a bit easier for you." With that, he placed both hands behind his back and closed his eyes. "Good?"

He could hear their laughter, but he didn't care for it. He spread his feet apart, carefully slipping into the ruthless fighter that he had shoved far back into his brain and tried to pretend never existed. He breathed in deeply through his nose, the slowly out his mouth. He was in control.

Running footsteps, one person, approaching fast, but they didn't sound prepared at all. Bertholdt ducked down and spun in a circle on his heel, then swung his left arm down to deliver a swift, but powerful strike to their shins. The force sent the boy flying off his feet, flipping perfectly before landing roughly on his back.

The yard was silent. Bertholdt suppressed a smile.

He turned to face his three remaining opponents, raising his eyebrows at them, challenging them. The leader looked over his shoulder at his lackeys and nodded, and both proceeded to charge at him. This time, Bertholdt charged back, rushing to meet them in the middle. He used his momentum to slide on his back through one of his opponent's legs, throwing a fist out to strike the boy's kneecap on his way through, causing him to collapse to his knees. As he got to his feet, he noticed the other boy had stopped, turned and was making his way back. Using the downed boy as leverage, Bertholdt leaped, legs first, wrapping his thighs around his opponent's neck, then swinging his body around and clenching his leg muscles and yanking to throw the boy onto his back. He landed on his feet perfectly.

Now the leader looked a bit scared.

"Last chance," Bertholdt warned. "If you back out now, I won't go near you."

The leader, in an effort to seem tough, scoffed. "Fat chance."

Bertholdt nodded in acceptance, and shifted into a fighting stance, watching, waiting. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to hurt anyone; he was positive he had already broken a shin or two, a kneecap, and maybe a sprain. But he wasn't going to back down now.

As his opponent charged at him, Bertholdt noticed something odd; the guy had reached into his back pocket just before he began to run at him. A flash of metal gleamed in the sunlight, and he came to a sudden realization; the boy had pulled out a knife.

Reacting quickly, he grabbed ahold of the knife-wielding arm with both hands, kept one on his forearm and pressed the other against his opponent's shoulder blade, pushing with that hand and pulling with the other. A faint cracking sound was heard as the boy cried out in pain, struggling, before he somehow managed to toss the knife into his free hand and making a slash at him. Bertholdt ducked just in time for him to miss his head, but the blade grazed his brow bone just briefly, causing a steady trail of blood to pool down his face.

Growling in fury, he grabbed his wrist and twisted, making the fingers weaken and the knife to drop to the floor. He kicked it away towards Reiner, who picked it up without a thought. Wanting to finish this quickly, Bertholdt head-butted the opponent and kicked his legs out from under him. The final opponent collapsed with a groan of pain.

He had been about to address the trainees in the courtyard, but was interrupted by Armin shouting, "Bertholdt, look out!"

With that, he whipped around and swung his fist as hard as he could, making contact with one of the lackeys' faces. It was quite possible that he broke a cheekbone.

Silence. Bertholdt scanned the crowd. "Anyone else?"

No one dared challenge him.

When Instructor Shadis showed up and demanded to know what happened and who was responsible, every trainee, even though he hadn't conversed with much more than half of them, defended his honor. Told the story of how he had been provoked, how he warned them of his skill, and of how their leader had pulled a knife on him.

The four boys were dishonorably discharged from their training.

* * *

That night, though he received fearful looks, as expected, he received much more praise of his skill, much more questions on where he learned to fight. He simply shrugged, and answered with a vague "I had a very motivated teacher is all".

Noticing that Bertholdt was overwhelmed, Reiner intervened and gave the excuse that "I should take him to get that cut fixed up" and tugged the taller teen away by his wrist.

The blond took him to the latrines, sat him down on a stool, and gathered a clean rag and a bowl of warm water. Pulling up another stool, Reiner sat down and got to work on wiping the blood from his best friend's face.

"I told you that you wouldn't lose it," Reiner stated, smiling softly. "I knew you could do it."

"I-I really hurt them," Bertholdt whispered brokenly.

"Bert, he pulled a _knife_ on you. They were trying to hurt you. You had every right to defend yourself. You warned them and they didn't listen, that's their faults."

"They were right."

"Right about what?"

"What my last name stands for," he whispered. "Fucked Up Beyond All Reason. They were right. I'm so fucked up, Reiner. I'm afraid of myself!"

Reiner gently pressed the rag against the cut, using his free hand to cup his jaw. "Bertholdt Fubar, I will not sit here and let you talk shit about yourself like this. You aren't fucked up. You never were fucked up, and you never will be fucked up. You're beautiful, and kind, and shy, but you're so tough that you can deceive people into thinking you're weak, but you really aren't. Those guys were bad news anyway, they were bound to get discharged sooner or later anyway."

Bertholdt stared down at his feet, completely silent. Reiner set the rag down and took his face in his hands, pressing their lips together gently. It only took a split second for the other to respond. They kissed until they couldn't breathe and needed to part for air, and when they did, Reiner began pressing little kisses all over Bertholdt's face and neck, causing the taller boy to burst into laughter.

"N-no! Stop i-it!" He protested weakly. "Stop, that tickles!"

Reiner finally relented, and pressed a firm kiss to Bertholdt's cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too, you big lug."

"Thanks, my dear Sweaty Prince."

"Hey!"


End file.
